The advancement of the gospel is accomplished by being plugged in through prayer, by redeeming our influence and speaking the truth faithfully. God has a purpose for our lives beyond salvation. We are called to take the mission of Christ seriously. Wherever God has uniquely positioned us, we are positioned to uniquely present the gospel.
The practical Christian life is a result of powerful motivation and precise methods of imitating Christ. Motivation always addresses the question “why.” If we are honest, this question lets us go behind the scenes and see the motivation behind our actions or words. Why we do something is just as important as what we do. According to Paul, one of life’s greatest motivation when it comes to dealing with people is to make peace the decisive factor. “Let us pursue what makes for peace” (Rom. 14:19).
Understanding and believing the Gospel must produce such a change in my life, that it becomes evident to others what I believe. Human life is not static. Despite the push for individualism, every person is being shaped and formed by predefined and existing external patterns. Some form of reality, will not only form the way we live but construct our very identity. The big question that we must face is, “which of these patterns will have its way of defining who I am?”
True Christianity requires Christ alone and doesn’t rely on either legalism or asceticism. The good news is that although you were dead in your sins, God made you alive together with Christ. There is nothing, then, that separates us from God. In order to experience the fullness of God, all you need is Christ. All you need is to love Jesus and strive to obey Him.
Maturity in Christ means being rooted in Christ, growing into the image of Christ, by taking risks of faith for Christ, while being thankful for His grace. Paul reminds Colossian believers that his goal is to present them “mature in Christ” (1:28). But rather than laying down a plan for spiritual growth, Paul proceeds to paint a portrait of a mature believer (2:6).
Our struggles for the gospel leads us to joy. During Paul’s ministry, he finds himself in prison. But even in prison, he is joyful, because his suffering is for the gospel. Paul is sharing his struggles with his friends. Paul gives control of his circumstances to God. We need to be ready for the interruptions by the Holy Spirit.
The gospel not only has the power to rescue us from the power of sin, it is the only thing that can hold us from gravitating back to sin and selfishness. Regardless of our religious background, we all begin our lives at the same point: livingin the domain of darkness. Because we all draw our lineage back to Adam and Eve, every person, starts their life separated from God.
When the Gospel is properly understood, it must have a definite effect that is both visible and is shared with others. The entire outcome of one’s life pivots on one thing – having a clear understanding of the gospel. The stakes are just too high to settle for anything less.